Box forming apparatus



July 31, 1962 s. w. TWITCHELL ET AL 3,046,848

BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 mm w w ,5 n i W 7 {I m. I v F, 7 w l m A .0. I

July 31, 1962 BOX FORMING APPARATUS S. W. TWITCHELL ET AL.

8 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 7 Ti; 77 76 QSJ I, 67 A 4 Z 7 68 m I04 5| 3 F. 2 6 1-1?" O o o 32 o 33 '9- 5 I l 30 H 80 69 2O 29 0 O 25 27 n 59 in H O 0 n9 "5H6 8| H b 53 54 57 :2 "O

unm'mnu 51mm Em 5,2 b 8 85 1 63 53a 1 n I 28 (D Q 1 .1 H t D 20 it o Am I o O o 0 us To F1120 O 7 July 31, 1962 s. w. TWITCHELL ET AL 3,046,848

BOX FORMING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 To Fig. 2A

Fig. 2B

BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 8 ENE L 11 E no.

8. Q 1) o 6- E 09 m 0; 8. \Q G w m E July 31, 1962 s. w. TWITCHELL ET AL ,0

BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 July 31, 1962 s. w. TWITCHELL Ei- AL 3,046,848

BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 July 31, 1962 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1958 W. TWITCHELL ET AL BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 S. W. TWITCHELL ET AL July 31, 1962 BOX FORMING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 3,l46,848 BOX FGRMING APPARATUS Sherman Wight Twitchell, Contoocook, and John Bruce Bradicich, Warner, N.H., assignors to FMC Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application Oct. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 765,849, now Patent No. 3,016,240, dated Jan. 9, 1962. Bivided and this application Nov. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 854,264

9 Claims. (Cl. 93-41) This invention relates to improvements in box forming apparatus and has for an 'obiect the provision of pivotal conveyor means driven from the drive motor of the apparatus and adapted to discharge boxes from either the side or end of the apparatus.

This application is a division of parent application Serial No. 765,849 filed October 7, 1958, now Patent No. 3,016,240, issued January 9, 1962, directed to apparatus for feeding sheet material, such as sheets of cardboard or the like from a supply stack, to machines for staying box blanks.

After the sheets are separated from the supply stack and fed into the staying machine, they are formed into set-up boxes and deposited on a delivery conveyor for discharge from the machine. The staying machine frequently forms a component of the box-wrapping system and the staying machineis positioned at the end or side of a wrapper conveyor to deliver set-up boxes to an operator for assembly with adhesive-coated sheets or wrappers, such for example .as shown in Lange et al., Patent No. 2,705,905 or in automatic box-wrapping systems of the type shown in copending application, Serial No. 498,914, filed April 4, 1955 by William F. Andresen, Jr. and Roy H. Schempp which issued January 6, 1959 as US. Letters Patent No. 2,867,158. In box-wrapping systems of the foregoing type, it is frequently necessary to manufacture a supply of set-up boxes without subsequent assembly with wrappers or to delay their assembly with wrappers until some future time. Since the staying machine is mounted as a component of the complete boxwrapping system, it is necessary to change the direction of feed from the delivery conveyor so that the set-up boxes will not be fed into the remainder of the box-wrapping system. In accordance with the present invention, this is accomplished by pivotally mounting the delivery conveyor on the frame of the staying machine so that the set-up boxes may be discharged either from the side of the machine or from the end of the machine. The conveyor is driven from the motor of the staying machine and by reason of its novel construction, the conveyor can be collapsed or extended in length and its direction of discharge changed in less than one minute and without the need of tools.

For a more detailed disclosure of the invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view with portions broken away of a staying machine embodying the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2C comprise a side elevation view partially in section and with certain portions broken away of the staying machine shown in FIG. 1, the legends showing how the three FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C fit together;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the sheet material ited States tet FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the pivotal conveyor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the pivotal conveyor shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view of the conveyor in a telescoped position.

Referring to FIG. 1, the improved sheet feeding system 10 and conveyor 11 have been applied to -a staying machine 12 for transforming box blanks 12 into set-up boxes B. The machine 12 is of the type generally referred to in the art as a quad stayer, by reason of the fact that stay strips are applied to all four corners of the box concurrently. The portion of the machine 12 for bending the sheet material or box blanks and applying the stays to the corners while the blank is in folded position is generally similar to the staying machine shown in Davis et al., Patent No. 728,086. The cardboard sheets or blanks b are arranged in stacks sb at one side of the machine and are adapted to be fed in succession, as later to be described in detail, to an operating station beneath a plunger 14. The plunger 14 is carried by a cross-head 15 which in turn is supported for reciprocating vertical movement by the upper end of a pair of slide rods 16. The drive mechanism for cyclically operating the slide rods 16 and the pressers (not shown) for the stay strips are disposed within frame F of the machine as later to be described.

At each of the four corners of the machine is a presser for applying stay strips from each of the adjacent stay rolls S. The pressers may be of the type disclosed in the aforesaid Davis patent for applying stays with the adhesive of the water-activated type or they may include heating provisions for applying stays of the heat-activated type.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A and 3, the sheet material or blanks b are adapted to be placed in stacks sb on trays 2t) preparatory to being placed in the sheet feeding system 10. The sheets may be rectangular and subsequently corner notched before bending and the stays are applied to form box blanks as described in application, Serial No. 574,405, filed March 28, 1956, Bailey et al., issued June 16, 1959 as United States Patent No. 2,890,630 or the sheet material may be pre-notched before the blanks are placed on the trays 20. It is to be understood that the present machine 12 may be provided with the cornercutting mechanism disclosed in said Bailey et al. application.

As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2A and 3, the trays 20 are adapted to be carried by an elevating mechanism comprising spaced pairs of endless chains 21, 21 disposed at opposite sides of the supply mechanism. Each pair of supply and feeding mechanism looking in the direction chains 21 is provided with angle members 22 which are adapted to receive the trays 20. The endless chains 21 are adapted to pass over sprockets 24 at their lower ends and sprockets 25 at their upper ends, the sprockets 24 being interconnected by a shaft 26 and the sprockets 25 being interconnected by a shaft 27 as shown in. FIG. 1. Each of the shafts 27 is provided with a worm wheel 28 which is adapted to be driven from worms 29 respectively carried by a shaft 30 at the opposite ends thereof. The opposite ends of the worm shaft 30* are also provided with ratchet wheels 31, one of which is shown, FIG. 2A, and is adapted to be engaged by an operating pawl 32. One of the ratchet wheels 31 is adapted to be engaged by a holding pawl 33 to prevent reverse rotation of shaft 3% when pawl 32 returns-to elevating position. The holding pawl 33 may be carried by a sprocket wheel, not shown, which idles on the near end of shaft 30, and is adapted to be driven from a separate operator, such as a handcrank or motorM PEG. 1, for rapidly raising the elevating chain 21. The normal means of operating the smashes elevating chains '21 is derived from the operating pawl 32 n as now to be described.

V The main drive for the staying machine is provided by a motor M, FIG. 2C, which. is preferably provided with an adjustable Reeves drive R ofthe type well-known in the art. Such drive may be adjusted by the Jcrank 35 2C. The drive from the motor M .is bylway of belt 36 to pulley wheel 37 which is keyed to amainldrive shaft 38, the opposite ends of which are journalled in the opposite sides of the frame F. The drive shaft 38 is provided with .asprocket 39, connected by way :of-chain 4010 a sprocket wheel 41 which, in turn, is carried at one end of a shaft 42, :FIG. 3 which extends only part waybetween the side frames 'of the machine F, FIG. 3. o On the opposite end of shaft 42 is a sprocket Wheel 43 which ,is adapted to be connected by a-.;chain 45 to a sprocket wheel 44 on the upper drive shaft .46, FIGS. 3

and 5. Secured to shaft 46 at the right hand end thereof as .shown in FIGS. 2A, 3 and is an eccentric .cam 47, which is adapted to be engaged by a cam follower 48 which is carried at the end "of .an operating arm 49. The

arm 49 has an'opening 50, FIG. 5, '10 permit the shaft 4.610 extend ftherethrough and be journalled in the side frame of the machine. The rear end of arm 49 is pivot-ally connected to a iink 51 which,,in turn, is pivoted at its cam 47 is adapted 'to be engaged by the cam follower- 48 and thus move the operating arm 49 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2A, thereby causing thepawl 32 to be rotated in a counterclockwise-direction around shaft 30 by link 51. Since {the pawl 32 .is in engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 31, the latter will be caused to rotate in acountercl ockwise direction as will the shaft 30 to which the ratchet wheel 31 is secured. This rotation causes the worms on the .shaft 30 to rotate, thereby driving the respective worm wheels 28 which are secured to the respective shafts 27 which carry the sprocket wheels 25. This action causes the endless chains 21 to move, thereby raising the angle members or brackets 22' which support the tray 20, 1,-which, in turn, raises the top of the stackof blanks sb, as the blanks are withdrawn therefrom.

7 As may be seen inFI G. 2A, the elevating trays tilt'the center of gravity of the stack of blanks Vin towards the staying machine. Thisprevents the shifting of a high pile of blanks which, in some cases, may be as high as 48". is particularly desirable in connection with smallblanks, which in some instances may be as small as appronimately 2" x 4". The pile'or stack of blanks is controlled by guides 52 FIGS. 2A, 3, which are adnpted' to automatically "adjusted to proper position when the table of gthestaying machine is changed for. a difieren si ze of -blanks. The machine is adapted to handie of a wide range of sizes and is capable of haniiii s was a sm e app ox a e y 4'. l and 2" Wid 1 to annr r m tel .31'. 1o g' y2 i Toremove-the outermost blanks individuallyfrom the stack, there lsPI'QYldfid a floating gate whichcooperates blank advancingmeans, such as one or more ;.vaccups, in. a novel manner now to be described. As may he seenin FIGS. ZAand 5, the floating gate comprises an upper member 55iand a lower member 56 adapted tobe carried at the outer ends of a pair of spaced "arms 58,; The opposite ends of the arms 58 are c nnected to brackets 53 which are adapted to be pivoted at 534, against the bias of springs .54, to supports 57 adjacent opposite side walls of the machine frame. The

gate member 56 is adapted to be spaced below the lipa of the upper gate member 55 a distance corresponding to the thickness of the blanks b being fed. It will be noted that the gate assembly is free to ride up and down on'the stack of blanks S17 and will pivot about the point 53a. The spacing between the narrow lip 55a and projection 5 6a respectively on the upper and lower gate members 55 and 56 is adjusted at the start ofa run-for the particular thickness of the blanks b. The spacing is sufficient to permit only one blank to pass therebetWfiFu at a time. V f The mechanism for operating the floating gate :comprises a pair of cams .66 which is keyed to the one revolution shaft 46 adjacent the opposite ends thereof and which is adapted to be engaged by cam followers 67 carried vby bell cranks 68 which :in turn are pivotally carried why a connectingshaft 69,FIG. 5. The bell cranksfidareYconnected to the lower member 56 of the floating gate bypull rods 71 and are adapted to maintain the gate at the proper. height during the feeding cycle. The springs 72 which are carried by the lower ends of thepull rods 71 between the collars73 and the supporting'brackets 74 on the gate member 56 provide a cushion action; 7

As shown in FIGS. 2A, 3 and 5, the arms 58 are channel-shaped in cross section and include a second channel portion 58a at their outer ends. The channel portions 53a are adapted to receive cam rollers 66a carried at the outer ends of a pair of arms 60, The arms are securedat their opposite ends to a hollow tube 59 to which suction is applied by way of a hose 61, lFIGS. 3 and 5, which is adapted to be connected to a vacuum pump .62, shown in FIG. 2A. The tube 59 is provided withoneormoresuction cups 63, depending upon the 'size of the blanksbeing fed from the stack. Thetube 59 has openingsthereinfcr each of the suction cups 63 and it is provided'withsuitahle connectors for the two outer suction cups 63 :so-that they may be adjusted lengthwise of the tube 59 to accommodate blanks of 'difierent-sizes. The centersuction-cnp 63 need not be moved for different size blanks and when small blanks are being fed, the twoouter suction cups 63 may be eliminated. V

The shaft 69 is adapted to be pivoted byan arm V which is keyed thereto, and is provided with .a carniollower 76 which is adapted toengage an eccentric cam .77 carried at the left hand end of the upper drive shaft 46, as shown in FIG. 5. The pivotal movementsof the shaft 69' imparts an arcuate movement to the suction tube .59 pive otally supported by means of a pair of swinging arms-8.0 which are keyed to the shaft 69. The ends of the shaft69 are adapted to be journalled on the, side framesof themachine. 'From the foregoing, it,will beseen that arms fiilp, with their cam rollers 60a, serveas a tiein between the height of the gate 55-56 and the height of theyacnurn cups 63.

During each cycle of the machine,,the,drive shaft 46rIotates through one complete revolution and the nppermein: ber 55a of the gate and'the suction cups 63 moveinto ;.en{

7 gagement with the outermost blank in the. stack. The sucupper gate member '55 includes a narrow lip or flange tion cups 63 by reason .of their pivotal position cause the front orleading edge of the blank to move forwardrbe tween the gate members 55 and s6throughithe sized open-, ing at 55a and 56a and continued rotation ofthe shaft46 causes the suction cups 63 and the gate members 55 and 56' to raise concurrently and move the leading edge ofithe sheet in an advancing direction between the pair of feed rollers 81, 82, FIG. 2A of the staying machine. ,The feed rolls 81, 82 are continuously driven and cause theseparated blank to be drawn through the space between-the gate members 55 and 56 and thence into theblank folding 1 and staying portion of the machine '12, as shown in FIG: 2B. The drive for the feed rolls 81,;82,1'FIG.-2-A, is by way of a sprocket wheel 85, which is fixed to the shaft of roll 82,.chain v86, sprocket wheel 87 which is keyed tov a stub shaft 88, another sprocket vwheel .89 which is also keyed to stub shaft 88 behind sprocket wheel 87 as viewed serted between the feed rolls 81 and 82.

in FIG. 2A and a chain 96 which passes around sprocket Wheel 89 and a sprocket wheel $1, the latter being fixed to the continuously driven shaft 38, FIG. 2C.

It will be noted, FIG. 5, that in suction line 51 there is a vacuum valve 95 which is adapted to control the suction to the tube 59 and thus to the suction cups 63. The vacuum v-alve 5 is adapted to be operated by arm 75 which in cooperation with the eccentric cam 77 and the cam follower 76 cuts ofi the suction to the suction cups 63 by opening the valve 95 to atmosphere in each cycle of the machine after the leading edge of the sheet has been in- The valve 8 5 is closed to atmosphere when the suction cups 63 move into engagement with the next outermost sheet of the stack to be fed in the succeeding cycle.

As the sheets are fed from the top of the stack of blanks, the overall height of the stack of blanks will be decrease and thus it is necessary to elevate the stack so as to maintain the outermost sheet in an area or zone substantially level with the space or pinch point between the feed rolls 81 and 82. This elevating action is provided by the cooperation of the actuating arm 49 and pawl 32 which causes the associated ratchet wheel 31 to rotate worm shaft and thus move the associated worm wheels 28 and chains 21 to raise the stack of blanks. it is to be understood that the normal operation of the stack-elevating mechanism will prevent the stack from becoming too low because each advancement of the ratchet wheel will raise the stack a distance corresponding to the thickness of several sheets whereas only one sheet is being removed from the stack during each cycle. To insure that the stack is not raised too high and thus place the outermost sheet in the stack above the predetermined zone for proper feeding, there is provided means for sensing the height of the stack of unused blanks, as now to be described.

A switch 1%, FIG. 5, the contacts of which are normally closed, is mounted on the frame of the machine in a position relative to one of the supporting arms 58 for the floating gate. The switch 1% detects when there has been an excessive amount of travel by the gate indicating when the top of the stack of blanks is too low. The excessive amount of travel of the gate permits the contacts of normally closed switch liitl to open thereby deenergizing the coil of a magnet 102, which is also mounted on the frame of the machine and is adapted to be normally energized from a source of power L-l, L-Z. When the magnet 192 is deenergized, it has no effect on the metal block 1533 which is secured to the actuating arm 49, as is one end of a return spring 164, P16. 2A. The opposite end of the return spring 1594 is secured to the frme of the machine at 105. When the eccentric cam 47 rotates during each cycle, it normally moves against the cam follower 43 causing the operating arm 49 to move to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 2A and 5, against the bias of return spring 194. When the cam follower 48 engages the low portion of cam 4-7, the return spring 194- moves arm .9 back to the position shown in PEG. 2A. During this operation, the ratchet arm 51 causes the pawl 32 to pass over several teeth of the ratchet wheel 31. On the next half revolution of eccentric cam 47 the roller 48 will impart motion through arms 4- to 51 to pawl 32 which will rotate the ratchet wheel 31, and thus elevate the stack in the manner previously described. However, when the contacts of the sensing switch 1% are closed, indicating that the stack is sufficiently high, magnet 1&2 is energized and the block 103 is held against the magnet 102. thereby preventing the return spring 194 from moving the actuating arm 49 to the right. This prevents the pawl 32 from picking up another notch on the ratchet wheel 31. From the foregoing, it will be seen that this action prevents the stack from being raised by the chains 21 and this status is maintained until the movement of the floating gate is such as to open the contacts of the sensing switch 1% and thereby deenerg-ize the magnet 15312.

next tray without interruption.

As the chains 21 advance, the trays 26a and 29b are raised until all of the sheets or blanks b have been removed from the upper tray Zita. When this takes place, the tray supports 22 move around the upper sprocket wheels 25', causing the empty tray 28a to move against the lower cam surfaces llila on the latching members 119, FIG. 4B, and against the latching members which are pivotally carried by the frame of the machine. The lower ends 11% of the latching members 110 are rotated out of the path of the empty tray 29a and as the tray moves to a predetermined height, the shoulders on the latching members move beneath the tray Zila into supporting position. The supporting position corresponds to the original position of the latching members 1 1% as shown in FIG. 4A. The latching members 110 are counterweighted to facilitate their return to the original position. After the tray 20a has been stored on the supporting members 110, the chains 21 continue to advance thereby moving the succeeding tray 2012 upwardly so that the sheet material or blanks can be fed therefrom. This operation continues until the blanks are depleted from tray Ztil; at which time it moves to a stored position on the latching members 110. The latching members 110 are adapted to store a plurality of empty trays and thus it is not necessary for an operator to remove each tray from the stored position after it has been emptied, but instead the operator may wait and remove several trays at one time.

When the sheets are fed by suction members, such as the suction cups 63, FIG. 5, the trays 20 are provided with a series of notches dlz along their for-Ward edge to permit the suction cups 63 to pass through the tray when it is in stored posit-ion, thus permitting the suction cups to continnue the feeding of the sheets from the When small size blanks are being fed, it is only necessary to use the center suction cup 63 which will pass through notch 1. For medium size and large size blanks, it is preferable to use three suction members 63. For the medium size blanks,

the outer suction member 63 will pass through the notches e and g respectively and for the large size blanks, the outer suction members as will be moved to their outer positions for passage through notches d and h respectively. For other types of feeding mechanisms which do not require passage through the stored trays, such for example as a pushing member positioned to the rear of the stack, it will be understood that the trays 20 need not be provided with the natches mentionoed above.

After the leading wedge of the outermost sheet of the stack is inserted between the gate members 55 and 56 by the suction members 63, the sheet is drawn completely through the gate in a continually. advancing direction by the feed rolls 81 and 82. The feed rolls S1 and 82 deposit the blank on a pair of spaced guide rails 145, FIG. 23. From here the blank is transported by a feed chain 1515, FIG. 2A, which is provided with a pusher link 116 which engages the trailing edge of the blank b and moves it to forming position beneath the plunger forthe form, which is carried by the cross head 15 and slide rod 16. The feed chain is continuously driven from the main drive shaft 38 and provision is made for timing the position of the pusher link 1116 so it will bring the blank to the forming position at the proper time. To compensate for different sizes of blanks, the weight 117, at the lower end of the chain 115 and which carries the tightener sprocket 18, is adapted to be raised or lowered, as may be required. As the pusher link 116 moves around the stripper members 119, the blank b is moved to its proper position beneath the plunger and out of engagement with the pusher link 116.

The plunger 15, PEG. 1, is adapted to be reciprocated vertically by means of a lever arm 124, FIGS. 2B and 2C, which is pivoted at to one side of the frame F of the machine, the other end of lever 124 being connected by a ,end .Of the machine.

link 126 to the lower end of slide rod 16. I Thelever arm 124 is adapted to be pivoted about its pivot 125 by means of a cam 127 which is adapted to be engaged'by a cam follower 128 carried intermediate the ends of the lever arm 124. V The lever arm 124 is biased in a downward direction by a pair of springs 129 which are connected at their upper ends to the lever arm 124'and at their lower 7 ends to the frame of the machine. The cam 127 is secured to a shaft 130 which is journalledat its ends in the, opposite sides of the machine frame. The shaft 139 .is adapted to .be continuously driven and the drive for shaft 139 is derived from the main drive shaft 38 by way of'a gear 131 which meshes with a gear 132 carried by prevent the springs 129 from causing the cam roller 1'28 to follow the surface of cam 127. This will hold the lever arm 124 in its raised position as shown in FIG. 2B, thus preventing the slide rod 16 from being reciprocated. With this arrangement, the remaining portions of the machine can continue to be operated from the main drive motor M while the plunger and form for the boxes are remaining inactive in the raised position.

To permit the plunger to be operated, the lever 140 is moved to the right about its pivot 141 thereby moving the projection or stop 142 out of engagement with the end of lever arm 124. The cam roller 128 on lever arm 124 is then free to follow the cam 127 and cause the plunger form to move downwardly against a box blank which is supported on spaced guides 145 therebeneath. The blank I) then moves downwardly past bending rails, FIG; 2B,

which causes theside walls of the box to be moved to a vertical position B against the sides of the form on the plunger. While the box is in position B FIG. 2B, stay tape is applied to each of the corners of the box by corner stay pressers which are adapted to be reciprocated by pressure bars actuated from yoke-shaped levers 150 and 151, FIG. 2C. The pressure levers 150 and 151 are similar to the pressure levers shown in the aforesaid Davis -et -al. patent; however, both levers are disposed at the same end of'the machine. The upper ends of the levers 150, 151 are pivoted-to a stationary portion of the ma-' 163 which :are compressed between the respective straps and rods 158,159and the collars 164, 165 on the respec- .tive rods 160, .161. It will be noted that the eccentrics .156 and 157 aredisplaced from each other180 about the axis of shaft 133. This arrangement is necessary because both pressure levers 150 and'151 are at the same However, one of these levers oper- @165 corner staypressers which are located at the opposite end ofthe machine. .It is of course understood that in taying machines of the quad type, all four cornerpressers are concurrently moved towards the centerof the box and :into engagement with the respective corners.

The stay tape length is adapted to be controlled from a single position on the machine by.control lever 170 on .thestay feed mechanism 171. The change in stay tape length from one box size to another can be accomplished quickly and it will be assured that all four corners will .have uniform stay length. The stay feed mechanism 171 suction member 63, FIG. 2A, a connecting pin 175, FIG, 1 2C, is drawn into a mating hole inthe bar link 172'and the motion of the eccentric 174is transmitted tothestay' feed mechanism 171 and stay strips are applied to the 'box B which is formed from the blank 12. However, if,

no blank is fed by the suction member 63, the pin 175 does not connect the bar link 172. to the eccentric 174 and thus no stay strips are fed during this cycle of the machine."

This is what is known in the trade as no blank-no stay control and eliminates stay tape from being built up on the form when the machine is running and no boxes are being produced. i

After the set-up box B has been completed, as above described, it is removed from the form on the plunger-and deposited on the conveyor 11 which is disposed there beneath. As may be seen in FIGS. 2B, 2C, 6 and 7 the a conveyor 11 is carried by a sub-frame 181 which is slid ably mounted on a pairof rods 182 and 183 secured to V I the side frames of the machine. The frame of the conveyor 11 comprises a pair of channel-shaped side rails 185, 186 which are joined together intermediate their ends by cross plates 187 and 188- The cross plate 187 is pivotally connected to the sub-frame 181 by 'a central. 1

vertical pivot 189, FIGS. Sand 7. As may be seen in FIGS. 6, 2B and 2C the pivot 189 is disposed beneath V the center lines of the conveyor 11 andfthe plunger 14. 7 The inner end of the conveyor 11 is'provided with a roller 3 V scope within the side rails and 186 and slide on rods 197 and 198 which interconnect the side rails and 136. The side members 195 and 196 of the extending porion of the conveyor are connected. by cross members 288, 201 and 2112., The outer ends of the side rails 195 and 196 support a roller, 204. An endless conveyor belt 285 is adapted to pass around the inner end roller 190 and the outer end roller 284 and over an intermediate roller 206 which is carried by the rod 198.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the collapsible conveyor 11 has been shown in extended 'position with the discharge end projecting from the side of the frame F of.

the machine. This is similar to thefull line position'of the conveyor, as shown in FIG. 1; The collapsible section of the conveyor is maintained in extended position by means of a latch 210 which is pivoted on cross rod 201.

The latch 210 is provided with a notch 210a 'at the inner end thereof which is adapted to engage the crossrod 197 interconnecting the outer ends 'of the side rails 185 and 186.. To release the latch 210, there is provided anop- I crating bar 212 which is positioned beneath the upper run 7 :of the conveyor belt 2&5 and when displaced, rotates the. latch 210' in a clockwise direction, as viewed in'FIG. 7;

thereby moving the notches" 210a out of engagement with the bar 197. This permits the outer section of. the

conveyor 11, including-the side rails and'19'6, to be telescoped within the main side rails 185 and 186 thereby shortening the overall length of the conveyor 11;

The conveyor 11 is adapted to be held in the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 by means of indexing means 214 and 215 respectively carried bythe cross member 188 and the sub-frame 181. The indexing means insures that the conveyor 11 will extend. perpendicular to the,

side frame of the machine. This is the position in which the conveyor 11 is adapted to deliver boxes out the side of the staying machine to an operator of a semi-automatic wrapping machine. The discharge end of the conveyor may be adjusted to suit the reach of the particular operator by merely pushing or pullingon the ends of the side frames195 and 196adjacent the outer roller-204. The

sub-frame 181 for the conveyor 11 is slidably carried on cross rods 182, 183 as previously described. "The drive for the conveyor is obtained from the main drive of the staying machine by way of pulley 193, belt 217 and splined pulley 218 on the main drive shaft 38. It will be noted that the pulley 218 is of substantial length and is adapted to slide lengthwise of shaft 33 within the groove 38a, FIG. 7. By reason of this construction, the pulley will automatically move lengthwise of shaft 33 a distance corresponding to the movement imparted to the end of the conveyor 11 when it is adjusted by the operator. This adjustment can be made while the machine is operating and without the need of any tools. To maintain the conveyor 11 in its adjusted position, the cross rod 182 is provided with a series of indexing grooves 182a which are adapted to cooperate with indexing means carried by the subframe 181. The indexing means has been illustrated as a spring-loaded ball 22!), FIG. 6, which is adapted to be received in the indentations or grooves 182a in cross rod 182.

To turn the conveyor 11 for discharge of boxes from the end of the staying machine, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1, the latching means 210 is released and the end of the conveyor collapsed in the manner above described so that the side rails 195 and 196 and the end roller 204 will be moved to the telescoped position shown in FIG. 8. The belt 217 is then removed from pulley 193 and the conveyor 11 pivoted in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 189 on sub-frame 181 until the indexing member 214 on cross member 183 engages the cooperating indexing member 221 on the sub-frame 181 and which member 221 is positioned at an angle of 90 from the indexing member 215 used for the side dis charge position of the conveyor. With the conveyor 11 in this position, the pulley 192 will have been moved to the phantom line position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and directly over the drive pulley 218. The belt 217 can then be placed over the pulley 192 and the conveyor 11 is ready to discharge boxes from the end of the staying machine, as shown by the phantom line position of the conveyor 11 in FIG. 1. This novel pivoted construction of the discharge conveyor 11 permits the conveyor to be driven from the main source of power M of the staying machine and enables the set-up boxes B to be discharged from either the side or end of the machine as desired. The change in discharge positions of the conveyor is accomplished without the need of any tools and in less than one minute. The novel drive arrangement for the conveyor 11 from the main source of power of the machine eliminates the need for an auxiliary source of power and at the same time enables the discharge end of the conveyor to be readily moved to any desired position for the convenience of the operator.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated, it is to be understood that other modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for manufacturing set-up boxes from sheet material comprising a main frame for supporting said apparatus, a plunger carried by said frame, means for feeding successive sheets of material to a box-forming position beneath said plunger, a motor for operating said sheet-feeding means and said plunger cyclically to move said plunger downwardly to form said sheet material into box structure, means carried by said main frame for applying stay strips to the corners of the box structure to transform the box structure into set-up boxes, a subframe carried by said main frame and slidably mounted for lateral movement, a telescoping conveyor pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said sub-frame for rotation about a substantially vertical pivot and disposed beneath said plunger to receive the stayed set-up boxes, drive means extending between said conveyor and said motor, and means for connecting said drive means to it) 7 either side of said conveyor whereby said conveyor may be pivoted on said sub-frame to discharge set-up boxes from either the side or end of said apparatus without removing said conveyor therefrom.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 for manufacturing set-up boxes wherein said conveyor comprises a first pair or" side rails forming a main portion of said conveyor and a second pair of side rails forming an extending portion of said conveyor said extending portion being adapted to be telescoped within said main portion to reduce the overall length of said conveyor while it is pivoted from one discharge position to the other, and means for latching said extending portion of said conveyor in its extended position after said pivotal movement.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means for said conveyor comprises a shaft driven continuously from said motor, a splined pulley carried by said shaft, and a belt interconnecting said pulley and said conveyor, said pulley being slidable' axially of said shaft along with said sub-frame for said conveyor whereby the amount of projection of said conveyor from said machine may be changed without interrupting the operation of said conveyor.

4. Apparatus for manufacturing set-up boxes from sheet material, comprising a main frame for supporting said apparatus, a plunger carried by said frame, means for feeding successive sheets of material to a box-forming position beneath said plunger, means for operating said sheet-feeding means and said plunger cyclically to move said plunger downwardly to form said sheet ma terial into box structure, means for applying stay strips to the corners of the box structure to form the box structure into set-up boxes, a sub-frame carried by said main frame and slidea-bly mounted for lateral movement, a conveyor pivotally supported on said sub-frame and disposed beneath said plunger to receive the stayed set-up boxes, said conveyor being of telescopic construction for changing the overall length thereof, said conveyor being supported intermediate its ends for rotation about a substantially vertical pivot with a substantial portion of the length of said conveyor extending on opposite sides of said pivot to discharge set-up boxes from dirrerent sides of said apparatus without removing said conveyor therefrom. i

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said telescopic conveyor includes a main portion carried by said vertical pivot on said sub-frame and an extending portion telescopically carried by said main portion and adapted to be telescoped within said main portion to reduce the overall length of said conveyor while it is pivoted from one discharge position to another.

6. In apparatus for manufacturing boxes, means including a vertical reciprocating plunger for moving box structure from an upper position to a lower position, a conveyor disposed beneath said plunger to receive box structure delivered to said lower position by said plunger, said conveyor comprising a main portion and an extending portion, said portions being relatively movable to change the overall length of said conveyor, and means pivotally supporting said conveyor intermediate its ends, said last-named means including a vertical pivot positioned beneath the center lines of said plunger and said conveyor to support said conveyor in a substantially horizontal plane whereby said conveyor may be pivoted about said vertical pivot to discharge box structure from different sides of said apparatus wtihout removing said conveyor therefrom.

7. In apparatus for manufacturing boxes, means including a vertical reciprocating plunger for receiving box structure and for moving the box structure from an upper position to a lower position, a conveyor disposed beneath said plunger to receive the box structure delivered to said lower position by said plunger, and means pivotally supporting said conveyor intermediate its ends so that the ends are free of support structure, said last-named means including a vertical pivot positioned beneath the center line of said conveyor to support said conveyor in a substantially horizontal plane With a substantial portion of said conveyor along the center line thereof extending on opposite sides of said pivot whereby said conveyor may be pivoted about said vertical pivot to discharge box structure from difierent sides of said apparatus Without removal of said conveyor from its pivotal support.

8. In a box-forming machine of the type including a vertical plunger, the improvement of a conveyor continuously supported beneath said plunger to receive a box 7 element therefrom, said conveyor being of telescopic construction for changing the overall length thereof,- said conveyor being supported intermediate its ends on a vertical pivot beneath said plunger for pivotaltmovement of said conveyor in a substantially horizontal plane with a substantial portion of the'lengthof said conveyor ex: 1 tending on opposite. sides of said pivot to discharge box elements fro m difierent sides of said machine'without removing said conveyor therefrom.

9.In a box-forming machine according'to claim '8, including indexing means cooperating with the said conveyor to maintain said conveyor in a selected "position with respect to said sides of said machine.

References lit ed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,239 Fe'eley Oct. 9, 1 928 2,303,490 Nelson Dec. 1, 1942 2,503,129 Fautz Apr; 4, 19 50 2,710,090 Fulper June 7, .1955 2,982,188

Von Hofe et at i May 2, 11961 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,046,848 July 31, 1962 Sherman Wight Twitchell et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 49, for "wedge" read edge line 67, for "18" read 118 column 10, line 9, after "conveyor" insert a comma; column 12, line 14, for "Fautz" read Pautz Signed and sealed this 26th day of March 1963.

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON DAVID L. LADD Atteeting Officer 9 Commissioner of Patents 

